Improvement in spoke-lathe



CHARLES B. CCNANT AND HIRAMYTHOMPSON, OE WORCESTER, MASSA-A CHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 100,261, dated Ma/rclt 1, 1870.

IMPRQVEMEN T IN SPOKE-LATHE The Schedule referred to in 'these LettersPatent and making part of the sameA To all whom ttmay concern Be itknown that we, CHARLES B. Conant and HIRAM THOMPSON, of' thecity andcounty of forcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Spoke- Lathes; and we dohereby-declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription ot" the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forur. ing a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1represents av front view of our improved spoke-lathe;

Figure 2 represents a plan View of the. same;

Figure 3 represents a transverse section on line A B, iig. 2; and

Figure 4 represents a transverse section of theupper part, at line C D,tig. 2.

'lo enable those skilled in the art to which our invention belongs tomake and use the salue, we wi.l proceed to describe it more in detail.

The nature of our invention consists- First, in the combination ofcertain devices for automatically reducing the speed of the pattern andspokeblank after the round part of the spoke has been turned, ashereafter explained.V

Secmd, in the combination of certain devices in a spoke-lathe, wherebythe carriage can be run back very quickly while thepatiern and finishedspoke remain at rest, as hereafter explained.

Third, in the combination with the flame which support-s thecutter-headand guide-wheel, ot' mechanism for automatically throwingback said frame as soon'as the spoke is finished, as hereafterdescribed.

Fourth, iu the combination ot' certain devices for supporting andsteadying the spoke and pattern in a peculiar' manner during theoperation of turning, as hereafter explained.

Fifth, in a laterally adjustable stand-for supporting one end of thepattern, substantially as and for the purposes hereafter explained.

In the drawings, the part marked A represents the main frame, on whichis mounted the vcarriage B that supports the pattern (l and spoke-blankD;

The main 'shaft E is arranged at the lower rear part of the frame A, anda cau-riage-shaft, F, is arranged parallel thereto, in the upper part ofsaid frame A.

The carriage-shaft F is provided with a screw or worm, b, at its end,which works iu a worm-gear, a, beneath the carriage'B, and upon theunder side of said carriage B is secured a rack, c, which meshes into apinion, d, secured to the same shaft as the wormgear a, as shown infigs. l and 3. Y

The carriage is supported on and guided by ways e on the top of the mainframe A.

The chucks 7S-which hold the pattern and the spoke- I blank, areconnected for operation by three gears, G, H, and I, in the lathe-head'J. The gear G, which turns the pattern C, and the gear I, which turnsthe spoke blank, are both of the saule size, so that both will turnalike. The gear H, from which the two formenderive their motion, may bemade of any size desired. y

The shaft of gear H extends to the outside of the head J, and isprovided with au operating-pulley, K, hung loosely on 'said shaft, and aratchet-wheeLL,

which'is secured rmly to said shaft.

To the side of pulley K are pivoted pawls which engage with theratchet-wheel L when, the carriage is run forward, and thereby turns thegear H, and when the carriage is run back the pawls pass overtheratchetteeth, and the gear H and parts connected therewith remain atrest. By this arrangement the motion ot'` the spoke and pattern isstoppediduring the backward movement of the carriage B The pulley K isoperated by a belt, M, froma pul- I ley, N, on the carriage-shaft F.

The pulley N is arranged to move along the shaft- F as the carriage isrun to the right or left bythe action of an arm, g, that projectsdownward from the under side of the carriage B and fits into a grooveformed around the hub of pulley N.

lhe pulleyN is prevented from turning ou the shatt F by means of aspline, which travels in a longitudinal groove iu the side of saidshaft.-

The shaft F is provided at its end with twoloose pulleys, O and P,between which works the clutch Q. The clutch is .so arranged that it canengage with either of the pulleys O and P, (which are furnished withclutch-teeth on their sides,) or it` 'may be placed in an intermediateposition so as not to engage with either.

rllhe pulley P is driven by a belt from the pulley R n and the mainshaft E, and pulley O is driven. iu like manner from another pulley, S,on said shaft.

The pulley S is smaller than pulley R, so that when the clutch Q engagesthe pulley P, the speed. of the carriage-shaft F is greater than whenthe clutch Q is iu mesh with pulley O. The clutch Q is connected-by abar, h, tothe lower end of the shipper-lever t, pivoted upon the frontof the main frame A, and a spring, It, is attached to the bar h, theaction of which tends to draw theclutch. toward the pulley O, with whichit willclut-ch whenever the spring k is allowed free action.

A trip-lever, m, is arranged just back of the ship` f per-lever t, uponwhich the latter is caught and held when the clutch. Q is thrownout-,ward against the pulley P, and an adjustable tripping-dog, T, issecured to the front of the carriage B for operating the trip-lever an,which it does by passing its beveled point n behind the beveled point o,ou the lever m, as the carriage moves forward, and thereby swinging backits latcheud and releasing the shipper-lever i. i

The trip-dog T is adjusted so that it will trip the lever in when thelathe has turned the round part of the spoke; and the spring k, as soonas the shipperlever 'i is released, throws the clutch Q across to thepulley O, which pulley turns the shaft slower` than pulley l?, so thatthe carriage B will be moved forward with less velocit-y, and thepattern and blank turned with less speed during the remaining distanceor while the flat part of the spoke is being turned.

The cutter-head U is supported ou the upright swinging frame V, whichframe also supports the guidewheel W. The arbor upon which thecutter-head is hung is provided with a suitable pulley, and driven by abelt, fu., from a pulley, v, on the main shaft E.

The bearings w, which support the arbor ot' the guide-wheel'W, are madeadjustable on the upright frame V by means of set-screws a: that passthrough the upright flanges 1, and they can be held firmly inl anyadjusted position by the clamp screws 2, which are arranged in slotsformed for their receptiomas indicated in the drawings.

The frameV is drawn forward into working position, as shown in thedrawings, by a latch-bar, 3, and spring, 5; spring 5 being fastened tothe frame V while the bar extends through to the front of the main frameA, where it is held by the spring 4, which catches into one of thenotches formed on the under side of said bar 3. The rear end of bar 3works in the spiral spring 5, the outer end of which spring is fastenedto the upright swinging frame V, while the other end of spring 5 issecured to the bar 3 by a pin, 6, or au adjustable collar may be usedfor that purpose, whereby the tension of spring 5 may be'increased atpleasure to vary the pressure of the guide-wheel upon the. pattern.

One end of a cord, strap, or chain, 7, is fastened to the bar 3, whilethe other end is secured to the'upper end of a spring, 8, the lower endof said spring being fastened to one of the cross-pieces X. The spring 8is `employed to draw ,the bar 3 back as soon as its front end isreleased by the depression of spring 4, which is effected by the beveledorincliued part 9 of the shipping dog Y on carriage B, striking againstthe projecting or bent end 10 of spring 4, as soon as the carriage B hasmoved l'arenongh forward to complete the turning of the spoke or otherarticle.

As bar, 3 is drawn back its rear end passes through the spiral spring 5and strikes, against the upright swinging frame V and forces that back,together with the cutter-head U and guide-wheel W, clear of the patternand turned spoke, the distance being suieient to enable the operator toremove the turned spoke and insert va blank without danger or liabilityof being caught by the cutters which remain in motion.

A pin or stud, 11, projects from the upper partl of the shipping-dog Y,which strikes the shipper-lever t as the carriage moves forward, andimmediately after the cutter-head is thrown back the clutch Q is therebycarried to a central position between the pulleys O and P, when themotion ot' the calriage-shaft will cease.

The shipper-lever tcatches upon a small notch on the trip-lever m, andholds the clutch Q in a central position -while the Lau'riage is beingrun back, which operation is performed by giving a reverse motion to thecarriage-shalt F by means of a crossed belt, 12, from a pulley, 13, outhe main shaft E, which runs on a small pulley, 14, on the shaft F, asindicated in fig,

l3 of the drawings.

The pulley 13 is hung loosely on the main shaft, and 4is connectedtherewith .or operation by a suitable clutch, 15, which can be thrown inand out b v a lever, 16, that extends obliquely upward to the frontofthe machine.

A dog, 17, is arranged on the front of the carriage` B, for shifting thelever 16 and throwing out the clutch 15 when the carriage has runsufficiently far back. The pulley 13 is made much larger than the pulley14, so that the carriage B is run back very quick.

The devices'for supporting and steadying the pattern and spoke-blankagainst the action of the guidewheel and cutters consist of an uprightswinging frame, 18, upon which are arranged two supporting levers, 19and 20, and two steadyng-wheels, 21 and 22. The wheel 21 is arranged onthe frame 18, in such positions that it will press upon the patterndirectly opposite to the guide-wheel W,`while the wheel 22 is attachedto an adjustable slide, 23,l and adjusted to press upon the spokedirectly opposite to the finishing cutters.

The front ends of the supporting-levers are joined together by theconnecting-rod` 24, suitable slots being formed at the points ofconnection so that the rod 24 can be adjnstedto give uniform or unequalmotions to the rear ends of said levers, as occasion may require,especially when turning spokes differentV in size and taper to thepattern.

The levers 19 and 20 are held up against the under side of pattern andspoke by means of a spring, 25, one end of which is attached to theframe 18, and the other end to the lower end oi the connecting-rod 24,upon which it acts with its contractive force.

The frame 18 is drawn back to press the rolls 21 and 22 againstthepattern and spoke by means of a spring, 26, one end of which isattached to the main frame A and the otherto the frame 18, as indicatedin the drawings. It will be observed that the swing frames V and 18 areboth pivoted in nearly the same horizontal plane. f t

The bearing 27 that supports the spindle 28, on which theV pattern runs,is made adjustable laterally, so that spokes of diierent taper can beturned from the same pattern. Clamp-screws 29 are arranged in slotsformed through the base of the bearing, whereby it can be held in anyadjustable position.

In lieu of the springs K, 8, 25, and 26, cords and weights may besubstituted therefor' ifpreferred. l

The operation is as /followsz The spoke-blank is secured in position inthe lathe, and the operator draws forward the swing frame V by means ofthe bar 3, which is caught upon the spring 4 and held while the cuttersare in working position.

The operator then-carries the top .of the shipperlever t' to the iightand latches it upon the end ofthe trip-lever lm. This movement throwsthe clutch Q into action with pulley P, and the carriage B is therebyset in motion, which carries the blank to the right past the cutter-headU, while the pattern O and blank D are rapidly' revolved until the-round part of the spoke is turned, at which time the dog 'i trips thelever m, and the clutch Q is, by the spring k, thrown into action withthe pulley O, thereby reducing the speed of the shaft F, so .that whilethe flattened part ofthe spoke is being turned the carriage moves slowerand the pattern and blank revolve less rapidly.

When the spoke is turned the dog Y throws down the spring 4 to releasethe bar 3, and the swing frame V is thrown back by spring 8, carryingthe cutters out of the way, and at the same time the motion of thecarriage is stopped by the piu 11, which, striking the shipper-lever fi,throws the clutch Q out ot' action, as before described. The operatorthen carries the end oflever 16 to the right, which throws in the clutch15, and the carriage is quickly run back by the action oi belt 12 untilthe dog 17, striking against the end ot' lever 16, throws ont the clutch15, thereby stopping the motion of the carriage. The operator can thenremove the finished spoke and replace it with a new blank` and repeatthe operation.

Having described our improved spoke-lathe,

What we claim therein as new and of our invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the shafts E and F, pulleys 0 P R S, and theirbelts, as shown and described, of the shipper-bar. h, spring 7c,and'double clutch Q, as and for the purposes'set forth.

2. The combination with the shipper-lever i of the tripping-lever m,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of carriage B and dog' T with tripping-lever m andlever i, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination with carriage B and shipper lever z' of the dog Y,provided with a stop-piu 11, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5.The combination with the gears G H I-oi the loose operating pulley K,provided with a pawl orv pawls and ratchet-wheel L, saidparts beingarranged iu relation to eachother as 'and for the purposesdescribed. v

6. The combination with the swinging frame V of the bar 3 and spring 8,substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v y

7. The combination with the swinging frame V and bar 3 of spring 5,substantially as and for the pur# poses set forth.

8. The combination with bar 3 and spring 4 of the dog Y, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

9. vThe relative arrangement of the hinged frames V and 18, having theirpivots or axes of oscillation in the same horizont-al plane,substantially as audffor the purposes s'et forth.

10. The combination with thehinged frame V, and its cutter-head U andguide-wheel W, of the hinged frame 18 and its supporting andsteadyiug-wheels 2l and 22', as and for the purposes set forth. Y

11. The combination with frame 18 oi the support-V ing levers 19 and 20,adjustable connecting-rod 24, and spring 25, arranged substantially asand for the purposes setiforth.

12. The combination with the laterally/adjustable stand 27'and center28, herein described, for supporting one end of the pattern, of thehinged frame 18 and adjustable devices which it carries for supportingthe pattern and blank spoke against the action ofthe cutters andguide-wheel, substantially as described.

13. They combination with the upper end of the frame V and journal ofthe guide-wheel W of the setscrew x, upright flanges 1, and clamp-screws2, as and forthe purposes described.

C. B. GONANT,

H. THOMPSON.

XVitnesSeS':

THosH. DODGE, GHAs. H. BURLEIGH.

